Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the present invention are related to loss prevention and theft-deterrent tags and, more particularly, to tags that secure onto articles without damaging or altering the articles, and allow the presence of the articles to be detected (if they include markers) by compatible Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) equipment.
Description of Related Art
It is a common practice for retail stores to protect articles with EAS tags to prevent theft of the article by shoplifters. One method of securing an EAS tag to an article includes using a grip mechanism to frictionally engage an article to prevent unauthorized removal of the tag from the article. However, most such EAS tags use a ratchet mechanism to assert a one-direction pressure onto the article at tag engagement points of the grip mechanism. A locking position of the engagement points and hence, the pressure experienced by the article at that particular locking position is dictated by the amount of force exerted by a user on the ratchet mechanism that moves the tag engagement points. That is, the ratchet mechanisms allow one-direction motion of the tag engagement points to engage with the article, with a travel distance of the engagement points to some locking position dictated by the force exerted by the user. Accordingly, the locking position and therefore, the strength of engagement with an article varies and is dependent on the user-exerted force on the tag. If the user does not exert sufficient pressure, the locking position of the tag engagement points will loosely engage the EAS tag with the article, leaving the article prone to theft by easy removal of the EAS tag.
There remains a long standing and continuing need for an advance in the art of EAS and theft deterrent tags that makes the tags more difficult to defeat, simpler in both design and use, more economical and efficient in their construction and use, and provide a more secure and reliable engagement of the article to be monitored without damaging or permanently altering the article.